What Do You Mean, He's Paper?
by hollybridgetpeppermint
Summary: Set during Briar's Book, and based on the Japanese legend of the paper cranes. Rosethorn gets slightly confused. RC


**A/N: All right. First thing: It's in script style. GET OVER IT.**

**I don't have time to rewrite it, and it's better as it is anyway. So…yeah.**

**Anywho…**

**Basically, this is a tidbit I've had written for ages, and not typed until now. I don't remember exactly what started it, but…**

**If you haven't heard the legend mentioned in the story, it's Japanese. It's about someone who was sick, and their family made them 1000 paper cranes to help them get better, because cranes are the symbols of health and longevity. Something like that. Anywho…maybe you see where I'm going with this? (grin)**

**Disclaimer: I just wrote a long disclaimer; go read Now or Never if you want one.**

**(P.S. Sorry, guys, I'm a bit grumpy cause I have a headache and I'm dying of heat. :D)**

**Now, on to the story!**

_

* * *

(Set during Briar's Book.__ Scene: Rosethorn's room. She is in bed, with blue spots on her face.)_Briar's Book. 

_There is a knock on the door._

Rosethorn (weakly): Come in.

Briar: (peeks cautiously around door) Rosethorn?

Rosethorn: Oh, Briar. (sighs) More willowbark?

Briar: No. News.

Rosethorn (surprised): Oh. Okay.

Briar: (comes in) Listen, have you heard the legend about the paper cranes?

Rosethorn: (sits up, horrified) WHAT!! What do you mean, he's paper??

Briar: Huh?

Rosethorn: (eyes wide) Who turned Crane into paper?

Briar: No one!

Rosethorn: Then how did he get to be paper?

Briar: Who said anything about Crane being paper?

Rosethorn: You asked if I'd heard a legend about Crane being paper!

Briar: Oh. No, no.

Rosethorn: (lies back down, relieved)

Briar: I asked if you'd heard the legend of the 1000 paper cranes.

Rosethorn: (sits up again) WHAT!! Now there are 1000 of him??

Briar: No! It's a Yanjing legend; supposedly when some person was sick their family made them 1000 paper cranes! The bird kind!

Rosethorn: (lies down) Oh.

Briar (exasperatedly): _Anyway_, me and the girls—

Rosethorn: The girls and _I_.

Briar: No, _me_ and the girls, not you.

Rosethorn: (rolls eyes)

Briar: —me and the girls thought we'd do that for you. Make paper cranes, I mean.

Rosethorn: (sits up) WHAT!! I don't want Crane to be paper!

Briar: Paper cranes…of the _bird_ variety.

Rosethorn: Oh. (lies back again)

Briar: So anyway, I'm gonna go make them now.

Rosethorn: Okay.

Briar: (leaves)

Rosethorn: Phew. He didn't suspect. And Crane's not paper.

* * *

Briar: (comes into living room)

Sandry: (looks up eagerly) Well?

Briar: She said okay. But she was acting a little weird.

Tris: What do you mean?

Briar: When I told her about it, she sat up and yelled. (imitates Rosethorn) WHAT!! What do you mean, he's paper??

Daja: Why would she do that?

Briar: Dunno.

Sandry: Oh, well. Let's make cranes!

* * *

Lark: (comes in) What are you doing?

Briar: Making 1000 paper cranes for Rosethorn.

Lark: Oh, like the legend?

Briar: Yup. We have fifty-two already.

Lark: Oh. Shall I go let her know?

Sandry: Sure.

Briar: But—well, never mind.

Lark: (shrugs and goes away)

* * *

Lark: (knocks on door)

Rosethorn: Come in!

Lark: (walks in)

Rosethorn: Hi.

Lark: Hi, Rosie. Are you doing okay?

Rosethorn: (nods)

Lark: The children want me to tell you that they've made fifty-two paper cranes already.

Rosethorn: WHAT!! (sits up)

Lark: What?

Rosethorn: Crane is paper??

Lark: (gives Rosethorn a strange look) No.

Rosethorn: Oh. (lies down again)

Lark: Where'd you get that idea?

Rosethorn: You said…paper cranes…

Lark: I meant the bird kind.

Rosethorn: Mila bless me, I thought…

Lark: Crane is fine. The children are making paper cranes, though.

Rosethorn: WHAAAATTT?? (sits up)

Lark: Rosie. They're making BIRD cranes.

Rosethorn: (lies down) Stop scaring me like that!

Lark: Okay. (shrugs again and leaves)

_

* * *

Later…_

Briar: (in loud announcer's voice) We are now OFFICIALLY finished with three hundred paper cranes!

Sandry, Daja, and Tris: (clap and cheer)

Rosethorn: (from bedroom) WHAT??

Briar: They're birds!

Rosethorn: (from bedroom) Oh.

_

* * *

Later…_

Lark: (knocks on door)

Rosethorn: What do you think I'm going to say?

Lark: (grins, opens door) The children want me to tell you that they're finished with half of their paper cranes now.

Rosethorn: (sits up) WHA—(falls out of bed) Ouch!

Lark: Here. (helps Rosethorn back onto bed)

Rosethorn: Paper Cranes! (looks panicked)

Lark: Rosie, _think_ about it.

Rosethorn: (thinks) Oh.

Lark: (mumbles) I didn't know willowbark tea had caffeine in it.

Rosethorn: Yes! Yes, exactly, it has caffeine in it! Lots of caffeine! Yeah…I'm a senior plant mage! Exactly! So I would know if it had caffeine in it. And I say it does! Lots and lots of caffeine…

Lark: (stares) Okay, Rosie. So anyway, the children have finished 500 paper cranes. The bird kind.

Rosethorn: Oh. Good for them.

_(There is a knock on the front door of the cottage.)_

Sandry: (from other room) Hello, Dedicate Crane.

Rosethorn: WHAAAAAATTTTT?? (jumps a foot in the air and falls off bed again)

Lark: (helps Rosethorn back onto bed, looking enlightened)

Rosethorn: (in small voice) Help.

Lark: Is this why you two argue all the time?

Rosethorn: (looks around wildly) No!

Lark: (highly amused) Allrighty, then. Whatever you say.

Crane: (comes in) How are you doing, Rosethorn?

Rosethorn: (squeaks unintelligibly)

Crane: (looks concerned) Are you okay?

Lark: (grinning wickedly) She's fine. I'll leave you two alone now; I need to go help the children. (leaves0

Crane: (shrugs)

Rosethorn: (looks afraid)

Crane: (to Rosethorn) Anyway…listen. I know you're sick and all, but I have to tell you something.

Rosethorn: (nods)

Crane: (comes over and helps her sit up) Rosethorn…uh…(thinks) I…(gives up and kisses her)

Rosethorn: (stares)

Crane: Uh…sorry. (backs away)

Rosethorn: (in high, squeaky voice) No, w— (clears throat) No, wait!

Crane: (looks wary) What/

Rosethorn: Um…do it again?

Crane: (stares) You…er…_want_ me to?

Rosethorn: Please?

Crane: (grin) Okay. (does it again)

Lark, Sandry, Briar, Tris, and Daja: (come in looking proud with a big box)

Briar: (puts box heavily down) Oof! (grins) We've finally finished!

Rosethorn: (dazed) Finished what/

Briar: 1000 paper cranes!

Crane: I'm not paper!

Everyone but Crane: (looks at each other and starts laughing)

Crane: (looks at them, puzzled) What?

**

* * *

A/N: Well, anywho…**

**Hope you had fun with it, please review, etc.**

**Also, please don't complain about them being OOC. Of course they are! That's just the way the story is, and I know they are. So…yeah.**

**BANZAI!!!**

**hollybridgetpeppermint**


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